NCBA Bank Kenya PLC has been officially announced as a nominee for the highly coveted 2026 Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) Bank of the Year Award.
The announcement was made ahead of the 20th edition of the African Banker Awards, a premier side-event of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings being held in Brazzaville.
Now in its fourth year, the AFAWA Bank of the Year Award is sponsored by the African Guarantee Fund and the AfDB Group. The award highlights pioneering African financial institutions that are driving inclusive economic growth by dismantling barriers for women entrepreneurs.
NCBA Bank Kenya PLC secured its spot on the exclusive five-bank shortlist due to its dedicated efforts in:
- Tailored Financial Solutions: Designing custom financial products specifically built to serve the unique needs of women-led and women-owned businesses.
- Expanding Access to Credit: Making substantial progress in deploying credit to women entrepreneurs, helping bridge the continental $42 billion gender financing gap.
- Gender-Responsive Policies: Implementing institutional frameworks that foster diversity and inclusive economic participation in the Kenyan market.
NCBA’s nomination comes at a time when the AFAWA initiative, through its flagship Guarantee for Growth facility, is pursuing a mandate to unlock $5 billion in financing for 30,000 women-led enterprises. Furthermore, AFAWA has committed to doubling its financing and expanding its reach to twice as many women beneficiaries by 2033.
By prioritizing the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, NCBA Bank Kenya PLC directly embodies the core theme of this year’s AfDB Annual Meetings: Mobilising Africa’s Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World.
The Kenyan bank faces competition from four other top-tier institutions on the continent: CRDB Bank, National Bank of Malawi, NMB Bank PLC, and Rawbank. The final winner will be unveiled during the African Banker Awards gala.